Medicare Enrolled
Dr. James North, MD
Pain Medicine · Winston Salem, NC
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Very High
DATA COVERAGE
Data in 4 of 4 federal sources
Measures public federal data availability — not provider quality
Informational, not a quality rating.
This page presents federal public records about Dr. North from CMS (NPPES, Open Payments, Medicare Provider Utilization, PECOS). It is not medical advice, an endorsement, or a judgment of clinical quality. Always consult the provider directly and a licensed clinician for medical decisions. Read methodology →
Are you Dr. North?
Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →
What this data tells you about Dr. North
Dr. James North is a pain medicine specialist in Winston Salem, NC, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. North performed 5,547 Medicare services in 2023. These records do not provide a deduplicated patient total.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. North received a total of $868,470 from 50 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 1256 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly reported through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their effect on care. A reliable breakdown by payment category is not available in this snapshot. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. North is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
✓ 20 years of NPI registration
▲ Top 9% volume in NC
$868,470 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary — 2023
Medicare Utilization ↗5,547
Medicare services
Top 9% in NC for pain medicine
Not available
Unique patients (not deduplicated)
$87
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
Top procedures by volume
Ranked by number of services performed for Medicare patients. Avg. submitted charge is what the provider billed; avg. Medicare payment is what CMS paid.
| Procedure | Volume | Avg. paid | Avg. submitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) A follow-up office visit for an existing patient lasting between 30 and 39 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
1,801 | $84 | $150 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
865 | $0 | $10 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
522 | $1 | $10 |
| Drug screening test A laboratory test that uses a chemistry analyzer to detect the presence of drugs in a sample. |
500 | $59 | $150 |
| Definitive drug test using GC/MS or LC/MS A definitive drug test that identifies specific drugs and distinguishes between structural isomers using advanced methods like GC/MS or LC/MS. |
477 | $153 | $275 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting between 20 and 29 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
144 | $54 | $100 |
| Spinal neurostimulator electrode insertion A procedure to place an electrode array into the spine through the skin. The electrode is used to deliver electrical stimulation to the nervous system. |
88 | $495 | $5,100 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 45 and 59 minutes. This code covers the total time spent by the physician or qualified healthcare professional on the date of the encounter. |
86 | $124 | $200 |
| Sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging guidance An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into a sacral spine nerve root. The procedure uses imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
79 | $232 | $1,086 |
| Spinal drug pump reprogramming and refill A physician electronically adjusts the settings of a spinal drug infusion pump and refills its medication reservoir. |
74 | $58 | $600 |
| Spine facet joint injection with imaging guidance, single level An injection is administered into a single facet joint of the lower or sacral spine while using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
69 | $185 | $1,349 |
| Facet joint injection, second level, with imaging guidance An injection into a lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance for the second level treated. |
67 | $95 | $821 |
| Anti-nausea injection (ondansetron/Zofran) | 65 | $0 | $5 |
| Compounded drug, not otherwise classified A medication prepared specifically for an individual patient by a pharmacist or physician, tailored to meet unique needs that cannot be fulfilled by commercially available products. |
64 | $100 | $162 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, additional joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy nerves in an additional lower or sacral spinal facet joint. |
59 | $248 | $1,464 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
58 | $46 | $219 |
| Injection of anesthetic or steroid into sacroiliac joint with imaging guidance This procedure involves injecting an anesthetic or steroid medication into the joint connecting the lower spine and hip bone. Imaging guidance is used to ensure accurate placement of the injection. |
56 | $151 | $1,314 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, single joint A procedure to destroy nerves in a single lower or sacral spinal facet joint using imaging guidance to target pain signals. |
56 | $469 | $4,012 |
| Spinal neurostimulator generator insertion Surgical placement of a spinal neurostimulator generator or receiver device. |
44 | $158 | $2,000 |
| Additional sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into an additional sacral spine nerve root level, guided by imaging. |
37 | $107 | $596 |
| Destruction of peripheral nerve or branch | 30 | $210 | $1,030 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 30 | $153 | $265 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
28 | $54 | $98 |
| Peripheral nerve neurostimulator electrode insertion A procedure to place an electrode through the skin into a peripheral nerve. This electrode is part of a neurostimulator system used to deliver electrical impulses. |
24 | $182 | $2,000 |
| Knee nerve block injection with imaging guidance An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into a nerve branch of the knee, performed using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
22 | $175 | $455 |
| Spine facet joint injection with imaging guidance, single level An injection is administered into a single facet joint of the upper or middle spine while using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
21 | $180 | $1,167 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement Use of real-time X-ray imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
21 | $77 | $325 |
| Facet joint injection, second level, with imaging An injection into a second spinal facet joint in the upper or middle spine, guided by imaging to ensure accurate placement. |
20 | $98 | $825 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter. |
20 | $129 | $195 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, single joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy the nerves supplying a single upper or middle spinal facet joint. It is performed to interrupt pain signals from that specific joint. |
19 | $409 | $3,263 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 21-30 minutes A telephone conversation with a physician lasting between 21 and 30 minutes. This code covers the time spent discussing medical matters over the phone. |
19 | $72 | $142 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, additional joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy nerves in an additional upper or middle spinal facet joint. |
18 | $240 | $1,500 |
| Electronic analysis of implanted neurostimulator with complex programming This procedure involves the electronic evaluation of an implanted neurostimulator generator. It includes complex programming of spinal cord or peripheral nerve stimulators. |
17 | $42 | $300 |
| Spinal injection with imaging guidance A procedure where medication is injected into the middle or upper part of the spinal canal. Imaging technology is used to guide the needle to the correct location. |
16 | $190 | $850 |
| Destruction of nerve branches of knee using imaging guidance | 16 | $289 | $744 |
| Injection of anesthetic agent and/or steroid into other nerve or branch | 15 | $57 | $560 |
How to read this data: This reflects Medicare patients only (typically 65+). Payment amounts are what Medicare paid the provider, not your out-of-pocket cost. These counts do not measure clinical quality or years of experience.
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$868,470
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $124,067/year across 7 years
Top 0% in NC for pain medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
50
Companies
1,256
Payment records
Payments are publicly reported; disclosure does not establish legality · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →
Payment categories are unavailable while the source breakdown is being rebuilt. Company and year totals do not identify how much belongs to each category.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$172,152
2023
$145,789
2022
$174,641
2021
$46,526
2020
$38,550
2019
$83,035
2018
$207,778
Payments by company (2024)
Boston Scientific Corporation
$106,912
Averitas Pharma Inc.
$44,099
Spinal Simplicity, LLC
$17,326
EAGLE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$3,122
ABBVIE INC.
$243
PAINTEQ LLC
$161
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$86
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$51
Curonix LLC
$36
TerSera Therapeutics LLC
$28
Vertos Medical, Inc.
$24
Medtronic, Inc.
$23
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$21
Lundbeck LLC
$20
Top 3 companies account for 97.8% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Boston Scientific Corporation
$367,087
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$251,042
GRT US Holding, Inc.
$99,669
Averitas Pharma Inc.
$97,957
Spinal Simplicity, LLC
$40,979
EAGLE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$3,622
Vertos Medical, Inc.
$1,824
ACACIA PHARMA INC
$1,022
Nalu Medical, Inc.
$899
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$604
ABBVIE INC.
$596
Relievant Medsystems, Inc.
$356
PAINTEQ LLC
$329
Vertiflex, Inc.
$283
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$220
PFIZER INC.
$198
Nuvectra Corporation
$150
SPR Therapeutics, Inc
$142
Curonix LLC
$111
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$109
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$105
Saluda Medical Americas, Inc.
$100
TerSera Therapeutics LLC
$100
BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.
$91
Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$89
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$86
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
$78
SI-BONE, Inc.
$73
Assertio Therapeutics, Inc.
$64
Sentynl Therapeutics, Inc.
$53
Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA
$48
US WorldMeds, LLC
$45
Virtus Pharmaceuticals LLC
$42
MML US, Inc.
$33
Medtronic, Inc.
$23
Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$22
Lundbeck LLC
$20
Shionogi Inc
$18
Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$18
Horizon Pharma plc
$18
AbbVie Inc.
$18
Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$18
Forte Bio-Pharma LLC
$16
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$15
Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.
$15
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$14
INSYS Therapeutics Inc
$13
Purdue Pharma L.P.
$12
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$12
BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 82.7% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AJOVY · AVISTA · Algovita · BELBUCA · BOTOX · BUNAVAIL 2.1 mg 30-count box · BYFAVO · Belbuca · CHANTIX · Cambia · EMBEDA · Evoke SCS · FIXATE · GENERAL THERAPIES · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL THERAPIES · GENERAL - PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · General - Pain Management · General - Therapies · Gralise · HA MINUTEMAN G3-R · Horizant · INFINION · INTELLIS ADAPTIVESTIM · Infinion 16 · Intracept · Kloxxado · LEVORPHANOL TARTRATE · LIBERTY SI · LYRICA · Levorphanol · Levorphanol Tartrate · Lucemyra/Lofexidine · Morphabond ER · NO_PRODUCT · Nalocet · Nalu Neurostimulation System · ORTHOVISC · OXTELLAR XR · PAINTEQ · PNS FREEDOM-4A PERMANENT NEUROSTIMULATOR RECEIVER KIT CHANNEL A · PRECISION · PRIALT · Precision · Prialt · QULIPTA · QUTENZA · Qutenza · RELISTOR · ReActiv8 · SPECTRA WAVEWRITER · SPECTRA WAVEWRITER (REFURBISHED) · SPRINT PNS System · SUBSYS · SYMPROIC · SYNCHROMED · Spectra WaveWriter · Superion · Superion ISS · Superion Indirect Decompression System · Symproic · THERAPIES · UBRELVY · VYEPTI · WAVEWRITER ALPHA · Watchman · WaveWriter Alpha Prime 16 · XTAMPZA · XTAMPZAER · Xtampza ER · ZIPSOR · ZOHYDRO ER · ZTLido · Zilretta · iFuse Implant · mild Device Kit
Should you be concerned? Industry payments are disclosed through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their purpose, legality, or effect on care. What matters is whether a recommended drug or device appears in your doctor's payment records. If so, consider asking your doctor about it. How to interpret this data →
Geographic Context
Pain medicines in nearby ZIP areas
27
County median income
$65,541
Nearest hospital to ZIP centroid (approximate)
NOVANT HEALTH FORSYTH MEDICAL CENTER
0.0 mi
0.0 mi
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | NPPES snapshot; verify current record |
| Medicare Enrollment | ✓ PECOS | PECOS snapshot |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not included | N/A |
This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. North is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 9% in NC), with 20 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. North experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. North performed 1,801 office visit, established patient (30-39 min) services. These records cover Medicare fee-for-service activity, including eligible younger beneficiaries; they do not measure total practice volume or clinical quality.
Does Dr. North receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. North received a total of $868,470 from 50 companies across 1,256 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly disclosed through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their legality or effect on care. Patients may wish to ask their doctor about these relationships, especially if a recommended drug or device appears in the payment records.
How do Dr. North's costs compare to other pain medicines in Winston Salem?
Dr. North's average Medicare payment per service is $87. Note that these figures represent what Medicare pays, not your out-of-pocket cost, which depends on your specific insurance plan and deductible. Procedure-level data above shows both what was submitted and what Medicare paid for each service type.
What does Data Coverage mean?
Data Coverage (currently Very High for Dr. North) measures how much public federal data is available about a provider. It is not a quality rating. A "Very High" or "High" level means the provider has data across multiple federal sources (NPPES, PECOS, Medicare Utilization, Open Payments), indicating the presence of registry, enrollment, activity or payment records, not verified experience or clinical quality. A "Low" or "Moderate" level may simply mean the provider is newer, does not see Medicare patients, or has not received any industry payments — none of which are inherently negative. Read our full methodology →
Is this data up to date?
Source publication dates and the snapshots loaded on this site can differ. Rebuilding a page does not refresh its source records. Check the Medicare reporting year and the payment interval shown above; consult the linked official sources for newer releases and current registry details. See our data freshness policy →
Explore related providers
Same specialty & city
Pain Medicines in Winston Salem
Browse pain medicines in Winston Salem ranked by procedure volume and transparency data.
Highest volume
Top Pain Medicines in NC
Pain medicines ranked by total Medicare services performed statewide.
Industry payments
Pharma Payments to Pain Medicines in NC
Which NC pain medicines receive the most from drug and device companies.
By company
Boston Scientific Corporation Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Boston Scientific Corporation.
By company
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION.
By company
GRT US Holding, Inc. Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from GRT US Holding, Inc.
About this page
This page combines public CMS records with calculated summaries and explanatory procedure labels. These transformations are not verbatim federal records. Sources: NPPES ↗, Open Payments ↗, Medicare Provider Utilization ↗, and PECOS. Publication is mandated by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (§6002 ACA, 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7h) and the Freedom of Information Act.
This page is not medical advice, an endorsement, a recommendation, or a quality rating. Data Coverage reflects data completeness — how much federal information exists for this provider — not clinical performance, patient outcomes, or quality of care. Always verify information directly with the provider and consult a licensed clinician before making medical decisions.
Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology